Plastic ear muff



May 6, 1947. 5, HURST v 2,420,245

PLASTIC EAR MUFF Fled OO. 26, 1945 Patented May 6, 1947 UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLASTIC EAR MUFF Samuel Hurst, Boston, Mass. Application 'october 26, 1945, serial No. ezines-1 7 claims. (c1. 22o9 This invention relates to improvements in ear muis, andthe rprincipal purpose ofthe invention is to provide an eicient, economical and attractive ear muti having an outer body of molded plastic material which may be colored or -orn-amented to provide a neat and decorative appearance for sport or 'dress wear, and which affords a durable, protective backing for `a pad vof fur, felt or other soft material for covering the ear 'of the wearer.

Another object 'of the linvention is to furnish a simple and easily operable, kadjustable connection between the backing and an vend link of the head band which connects a pair of the improved ear muffs, whereby the effective length of the head band may be manually regulated.

A further `object is to enhance the t and comfort of the ear muffs by providing a swivel joint between the head band fand the end links thereof, so that the links may be moved in at vleast two `directions with respect to the band, thus permitstruction will be apparent from the following `description `of the recommended embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, but it will be understood 'that the 'structural details of the ear muiis herein illustrated and described may be varied to suit particular purposes or conditions without departing from the essence of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. lis a perspective View oi a pair of the improved ear muls with 'the head band attached in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the outer side of one of the backing members and its adjustable connecting link 'and pivoted band, a chamber of the backing member and parts of the swivel joint being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section of one of the ear mulls, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, the adjustable link being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a retaining ring for fastening the muff pad on the backing;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the backing member, taken through the chamber thereof and looking toward an opening to the chamber; and

Fig. 6 is a plan View of a plate forming the bottom of said chamber.

The improved ear muli comprises a pair of oval ear protectors Il, and a head band I2 having end links I3 adjustably connected 13,0. the PTC?- tectors so that the -eective length of the Yband maybe manually regulated. The head band may thus consist fof a single strip of flexible material, preferably .pyroxylin or other plastic which may be made in any desired `color or shade, thus avoiding the necessity of utilizing two `Yslida'ble 'spring steel strips to 'effect the adjustment, as in the conventional head band. j y

The ear protectors are similar, and each comi- 'prises a backing member AIII preferably of molded plastic material, a metal retaining ring -I5 having a ange I6 which is preferably notched around its edge, and a sheet or pad I1 of iur, felt or other soft textile material which presses comfortably against the ears when the protectors are 'in place. The backing member is dished or cup- 'shaped and has a peripheral rim I8, preferably formed with a groove or recess I9 i n its edgev to receive the edge of the pad when the parts are assembled. A j A The nange of the retaining ring I5 is larger than the rim I8, and the margin vof the pad is folded over the ring 4I5 and vits iiange I6, so that its edge Vis gripped in the groove I9k when the' covered ring -is pressed over the rim of the backing member and its flange crimped over the rim i8, to secure the pad in place on the bottom of the backing. A Y l t l Y t The topy of the backing I4 is formed with a chamber y2li having parallel side Walls 2l, an outer Wall 2.2 having an opening 23A therein, and an inner wall 24 extending i-nto the space between the cupped plate and the pad I1, The vinterior surfaces of the side walls y2l are ribbed or serrated at 2'5, to provide a rack for an vadjustable anchor carried by the linker connector I3. The outer end of link I3 extends into the chamber 20 through the slot -2-3, and carries a transverse anchor or pawl 3-2 consisting oi a thin sheet of resilient metal. The -sides of the pawl friction'allfy engage between the serrated racks 25 secure the link in adjusted position, but the link may be easily moved inwardly or outwardly to vary the setting, according to the desired effective length of the head band I2.

The links I3 are preferably connected to the head band by a ball and socket or swivel joint which permits relative movement therebetween in at least two directions. As illustrated, the joint consists of a socket member 26, and a ball member 21 on the link I3 received in the socket. The link is th'us rotatable with respect to the head band, and the socket member is formed with a slot 28 permitting the link to move angularly (inwardly and outwardly) relatively to the band l2, so that the ear muffs will automatically adjust themselves to rest comfortably against the ears of the wearer. A full universal joint could obviously be employed in place of the swivel connection herein shown, for the same purpose.

Th'e bottom of the chamber 29 of the backing I5 is preferably closed by a plate 29 having laterally projecting arms 30, the ends of which are pressed into recesses 3l in the edge of the rim i8. Plate 29 serves as a guide for the movable pawl 32 and a protective guard for the pad I1.

Ear muffs constructed as herein described are simple and economical to manufacture, easy to assemble, convenient to apply and comfortable to the wearer; and the handy adjustment of the effective length of the head band and the relative angular position of the protectors aords correct fit as well as comfort. Th'e plastic backing mem- Ybers which are visible on the outside of the applied protectors may, as aforesaid, be colored or ornamented to enhance the appearace of the pro- 'tectors, and the head band may be of the same color as the backers or of a harmonizing or contrasting color, as desired.

, I claim: y

1. An ear muif comprising a molded plastic backing having a peripheral rim, a retaining ring lhaving a flange larger than said rim, and a pad having its margins folded over said flange and [under said rim and secured between said flange and rim, the edge of th'e backing rim having a groove receiving the edge of the pad.

'means in said chamber connecting said head band to said backing whereby the effective length of the band may be manually adjusted.

3. An ear muil comprising a backing h'aving a peripheral rim, a retaining ring having a flange larger than said rim, and a pad having its margins folded over said flange and under said rim Yand secured between said flange and rim, the

backing having a chamber formed with a serrated, interior wall, a head band having its end received in said chamber, and a pawl on said end yslidably engaging the serrations of said wall,

whereby the effective length of the band may be adjusted according to the position of the pawl in the chamber.

4. An ear muff comprising a cupped backing member, a pad applied to the open side of said member, and means securing the pad thereto, the backing having parallel walls defining an interior chamber, and said walls having serrated inner surfaces, a head band having an end link received in said chamber, and a flexible pawl on said link slidably engaging the serrations of said walls, whereby the effective length of the head band may be adjusted by regulating the position of the pawl within the chamber.

5. An ear muff comprising a cupped backing member, a pad applied to the open side of said member, and means securing the pad thereto, the backing having parallel walls defining an interior chamber and said walls having serrated inner surfaces, a head band having an end link received in said chamber, and a flexible pawl on said link slidably engaging the serrations of said walls, whereby the effective length of the head band may be adjusted by regulating the position of th'e pawl within the chamber, and a plate on the bottom of said chamber, said plate hav ing lateral arms engaging the rim of the backing member.

5. An ear muff comprising a cupped backing member, a pad applied to the open side of said member, and means securing the pad thereto, the backing having parallel walls defining an interior chamber and said Walls having serrated inner surfaces, a head band having an end link received in said chamber, and a flexible pawl on said link slidably engaging the serrations of said walls, whereby the effective length' of the head band may be adjusted by regulating the position of the pawl within the chamber, and a swivel joint between said head and end link, whereby the link may be moved angularly relative to the band.

7. An ear mui comprising a backing having a peripheral rim, a retaining ring having a flange larger than said rim, and a pad having its margins folded over said flange and under said rim and secured by said ring, the backing having a chamber, a head band having its end received in said chamber and slideable therein, and means in said chamber for frictionally resisting sliding movement of said end, whereby the effective length of the band may be adjusted according to the position of said end in said chamber.

SAMUEL HURST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this' patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,603,431 Wacker Oct. 19, 1926 1,651,623 Obergfell Dec. 6, 1927 2,216,954 McDonough Oct. 8, 1940 2,314,782 Goretsky Mar. 23, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 362,107 Italian Aug. 12, 1938 

